Syringe



c. J. HYATT Nov. 5, 1957 SYRINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 19, 1956INVENTOR. e052 I m, H J. m m m a BY zz,

Fig.4

Nov. 5, 1957 c. J. HYATT 2,811,968

SYRINGE Filed Jan. 19, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Clarence .1. Hyatt IN V ENTOR.

SYRINGE Clarence J. Hyatt, Redding, Calif. Application January 19, 1956,Serial No. 560,193

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-225) My invention relates to improvements in syringesfor vaginal douche purposes.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an efli-cient syringefor the above purpose which is adapted to be so cheaply manufacturedthat it can be sold at a nominal cost, for instance, in vending machinesin womens rest rooms, and discarded after use and whereby a necessaryarticle of feminine hygiene can be rendered available at a minimumexpense to women traveling or away from home.

Another object is to provide a syringe for the above purposes whichembodies a liquid containing bladder which can be rolled up to forceliquid out of a nozzle.

Another object is to provide the bladder with a novel combinationmeasuring cup and filler valve for introducing a measured quantity ofdisinfectant or the like into the bladder and filling the bladder withliquid.

Still another object is to provide a highly efficient inexpensivelyconstructed spray nozzle on the bladder which is preformed in the propercurvature and flexible for easy painless insertion into the vagina.

Other and subordinate objects together with the precise nature of myimprovements will become readily apparent when the following descriptionand claims are read with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved syringe in a preferredembodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged exploded view in perspective of thebladder and parts of the combination measuring cup and filler valve;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken onthe line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in transverse section of the bladder takenon the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section of thenozzle taken on the line 55' of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view in longitudinal section of thebladder and combination measuring cup and valve illustrating the mannerin which the valve is held open for filling the bladder;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section of thecombination measuring cup and valve illustrating the manner in which thevalve is held closed;

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of a first modification of thesyringe;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a second modification of the syringe;and

Figure 10 is an enlarged view in longitudinal section of a thirdmodification of the syringe.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to Figures 1 to 5 and 6and 7, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention myimproved syringe designated generally by the numeral 1, comprises asubstantially rectangular bladder 3 having upper and lower filler anddischarge ends 5, 7, sides 9 formed in one piece and longitudinallysealed together edges 11. This bladder 3 is inexpensively constructed ofa rectangular section of 2,811,958 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 flexible tubingwith its ends closed by heat sealing as at 13 to form the edges 11.Preferably material such as polyethylene, or the like is utilized, whichis light in weight, sufliciently strong to withstand pressure requiredin a syringe and flexible for folding or rolling up as desired.

At its lower end 7 the bladder is formed with a central dischargeopening 15 communicating with a discharge nozzle 17. The nozzle 17 isformed of the same material as the bladder 3 and is molded in one piecein the form of a short tube 21 having a collar 23 on it inner end heatsealed, as at 25, to the lower end 7 of the bladder 3 concentrically ofthe opening. The tube 21 flares toward its outer end at which itterminates in an enlarged bulb 27 of hourglass shape provided at itsbase and at its restricted center with series of circumferentiallyspaced spray discharge openings 29, 31 staggered in the seriesrelatively and inclining forwardly to direct spray forwardly. The tube21 flares forwardly toward the bulb 27 and is curved as best shown inFigure 1.

The combination measuring cup and valve designated generally by thenumeral 33 comprises an elongated valve flap 35 in the longitudinalcenter of the upper end 5 of the bladder 3 formed by slitting said endalong two parallel lines 37, as indicated in Figure 2, so that the flap35 is connected at both ends to the end 5. A flexible molded strip 39 ofthe same material as the bladder 3 extends longitudinally over the flap35 and slits 37 and is heat sealed, at 36, to said end 5 around saidflap, provided with a central measuring cup 41 integral therewith andopen at its bottom with a bottom cross bar 39 preventing the flap 35from bulging into said cup 41.

As best shown in Figure 7 the strip 39 is flexible to curve toward thetop 5 of the bladder 3 and thereby draw the flap taut to seat againstthe strip 39 and close the bottom of the cup 41, whereas, as best shownin Figure 6 said strip 39 is flexible to curve away from said end 5 andthereby form a slack in said flap 35 to unseat the same for opening thebottom of the cup 41 and said strip 39 is flexible, as described bysqueezing its ends together by hand. To facilitate flexing of the strip35 said strip 35 is provided with thickened, enlarged concave, fingergrip ends 43 serrated as at 45. As will be seen the flap 35 and strip 39and cup 41 form a composite valve including an elongated flexible seatmember bendable in opposite directions by pressure against its ends toseat and unseat a flap valve and thereby close and open the valverespectively.

Referring now to the operation of the described embodiment, themeasuring cup 41 is first filled with deodorant or disinfectant whilethe valve flap 35 is seated to close the bottom of said cup as shown inFigure 7. The valve flap 35 is then unseated to open the bottom of thecup 41, or to open the valve as shown in Figure 6 and the bladder 3filled with water while the nozzle 17 is pinched to close the same orclosed by a tear-off wrapper not shown, applied when the syringe isprepared for sale. Then the nozzle 17 is inserted while open in thevagina and the bladder 3 squeezed or rolled upon itself to discharge thecontents under pressure through said nozzle 17. If the pressure in thebladder 3 fails to maintain the valve flap 35 tightly seated it may beeffectively seated by the described flexing of the strip 35 or valveseat. The bladder 3 may be refilled and the nozzle closed whilerefilling by twisting the bladder at the inner end of said nozzle.

According to the first modified embodiment shown in Figure 8, thebladder 47 is formed of a tubular section 49 of the same material as thebladder 3 with an upper end closure cap or flap 51, also of the samematerial, heat sealed to said section 47 and provided with the samecombination measuring cup and valve 53 as in the preferred embodiment.The lower end 55 of the section 49 is gathered around and heat sealed tothe inner end 57 of the nozzle 59 with a binder band 61 around thegathers 63.

In the second modified embodiment shown in Figure 9 the bladder 65 isformed of a single rectangular sheet 66 of a flexible plastic foldedupon itself at its transverse center as shown at 67 to form the upperfiller end 69, the combination measuring cup and valve 71 being suitablyfixed in the transverse center of the sheet to position it at said end.The opposite edges 73 of the sheet are heat sealed together as indicatedat 74. The ends of the strip are then gathered around and heat sealed tothe nozzle 75 with a binder band 77 around the gathers 79 as in thefirst modified embodiment and to form the discharge end of the bladder.

In the third modified embodiment shown in Figure 10 the measuring cup 71is adapted to be closed by a tapered flanged stopper plug 73 on thelower end of a stem 25' extending upwardly through said cup and providedwith a handle forming cross bar 77' on its upper end above and longerthan the diameter of the cup 71 so that the stem 75' and plug 73 cannotfall into the bladder 79'.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within thescope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A syringe comprising a bladder of flexible material having filler anddischarge ends, a discharge nozzle extending from said discharge end andterminating in an enlarged spray discharge bulb, and a combinationmeasur- 4 ing cup and filler valve on the filler end of said bladder,said combined measuring cup and filler valve comprising a flexible valveflap in said filler end, an elongated member on said filler end carryingan open bottom cup and flexible in opposite directions to flex said flapinto and from closing relation to the bottom of said cup.

2. The combination of a syringe comprising a bladder of flexiblematerial having filler and discharge ends, a discharge nozzle extendingfrom said discharge end and terminating in an enlarged spray dischargebulb, and a combination measuring cup and filler valve on the filler endof said bladder, said combination measuring valve and filler cupcomprising a strip member on said filler end carrying an open bottomcup, and a stopper plug for closing the bottom of the cup having a stemextending out of said cup and provided with a manipulating cross barthereon outside said cup.

3. A syringe according to claim 1, said valve flap having ends attachedto said filler end and being free between its attached ends.

4. A syringe according to claim 1, said elongated member being flexibleby squeezing its ends together and having enlarged serrated finger gripends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,274,702 Fox Aug. 6, 1918 2,168,239 Reach Aug. 1, 1939 2,304,708 RitterDec. 8, 1942 2,353,153 Ferrel July 11, 1944 2,612,161 Manville Sept. 30,1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 781,494 France Feb. 25, 1935

